BBC Breakfast’s Jon Kay, who co-hosts the popular news programme with Sally Nugent during weekdays, is not just a familiar face on our screens. Off-camera, he’s a devoted husband and father of three, having met his wife, Francesca Kasteliz, at work in the 1990s.
The couple first crossed paths at BBC Bristol back in 1998, where they were both working as journalists. Francesca’s career trajectory mirrored Jon’s, starting as a trainee news reporter before transitioning to local TV and radio.
She climbed the ranks to become a TV and Radio News Correspondent for BBC National Network News in 1999, later securing a position as an Assistant News Editor at BBC News.
Francesca has a string of accolades to her name, including a prestigious Royal Television Society Award for Best News Item during her time at BBC News.
However, in 2006, she decided to switch gears professionally, becoming a Senior Coach and Trainer at the BBC Academy, and later taking on a role as an internal coach for the corporation, reports the Mirror.
Francesca maintains an active presence on Twitter, where she recently shared a nostalgic photo from her reporting days at the BBC. The snapshot shows her standing outside the Conservative Party’s Central Office, clad in a lilac shirt and black jacket, her short, light brown hair styled in a voluminous sweep to the left side of her face.
The former TV presenter turned coach, Francesca, took to social media with the caption: “My son found this old footage on the internet and howled with laughter. Mainly at my hairstyle I think. Well, it was 1999.”
She currently operates as a television presenter coach for TV Coach Limited, focussing her energy on helping on-air talent at esteemed broadcasting institutions such as Channel 4, BBC and CBBC enhance their performances. According to her website, Francesca is particularly devoted to aiding women and youth in finding their voice both on-air and in the broader television industry.
Outside the realm of her coaching, Francesca and her partner Jon are proud parents of three children and share a 14-year-old cocker spaniel.
During a recent appearance on Maria Andreas Newman’s ‘What the Mum’ podcast, Francesca revealed: “I think there’s a lot about how we’re brought up as children.
“This makes me really question how I bring up mine – I’ve got two boys and a girl, so I’m always thinking about how I’m treating them, and I don’t want to treat them differently.”
She continued: “I’m trying to give them the same values. There’s a lot about society’s pressure on women. This label about being bossy if we speak up. That still exists, but I think it’s getting better.”
Currently residing in Bristol alongside her family, Francesca’s partner Jon often takes to Instagram to share updates about both his career and their personal lives together.
BBC Breakfast airs from 6am on BBC One and iPlayer.